mr. nicol and fellow ibisians...

first id like to say thanks for having me. long time reader, 1st time poster. enough formalities...onto business. ive got an uptube tandem that i'm considering parting with and before i do, i wanted to clarify a few questions ive had for sometime now. my understanding was that the cousin it as well as the uptube were offered in both road and mountain. and i also had heard that the production of the uptube was halted some time before the cousin it. i certainly see more cousins than uptubes via ebay, tandem trader, and what have you. so my question is this. what seperates the 2 and which, if either, is superior to its kin? thanks in advance and happy tralis to all.
kickin it 06' punk bike w/fellow yinzers...

Drinkmoreguinness:
The Uptube was designed by Rick Jorgensen who made Tango Tandems back in the day. The difference was that they had oval (phil wood) tube running from the front bb up to the rear seat cluster, in addition to a lateral tube from the head tube to the middle of the rear seat tube. This extra triangulation resulted in a phenomenal increase in lateral stiffness of the bike, both in the front bb and stoker's seat cluster. Great bikes to ride, very difficult and expensive to make. The Cousin It (and Uncle Fester) were built without the uptube, but with the benefit of larger custom drawn butted tubes (we could afford to do the custom tubes once our production numbers reached a certain level). The BB tube was massive, butted and contributed greatly to the stiffness of the bike.
We made a small number of Titanium Uptube Tandems as well.
All the 26" tandems were available in road or mountain configurations, difference being components including stems, etc. All had the same fork and same clearances, so they could be switched between road and mountain. This was all happening at the dawn of suspension, so it was all rigid.
Uh, what was the question again?
Scot

allright kids...got a couple of inquires on the tandem. wasn't ready to let er go any more then than i am now. but i suppose sometimes there just isn't a good time. sorry to those who wrote. i replied, i just don't know if you recieved anything. anywho...
uptube as u can see
xtr levers and shifty bits
avid mech. discs
speed dream wheels w/king hubs
azonic bars
liberator saddles
pedals stay at home
send er out on a yakima tandem rack
you'll figure the rest out...
724-433-2438 pittsburgh time
what a sad sad day!
i guess i'll have a guinness

almost forgot. just wanted to say thanks scot for the getback and certainly more importantly for the great times spent on arguably the finest steed this stable has ever seen! best o luck to ya with your new carbon fiber caper.